Good Time Charley

A co worker or should I say ex co worker had a fondness for dogs. She would take in the unwanted even though she was on a strict budget. She could say no and always kept her dogs down to a manageable pack.

That is until Charley came along.

Charley was a beagle, 10 years old, and had spent all of those years in a wire cage. He was a sperm donor not a pet until he was rescued. Due to his age and the fact that he could not be housebroken the future seemed bleak for Charley. Until the co worker stepped in.

When she discovered that all of his teeth were rotted she came to me for help. I am a sucker for puppy dog eyes and sad stories. It was amazing how well Charley came back from having all of his teeth extracted. He became almost puppy like. I became a part of Charley’s life through stories she shared with me over coffee.

Even though Charley was restricted to just the rooms with tiled floors he had a great life. He had the full run of the basement, was allowed outside in the fenced yard, and had lots of geriatric puppies to play with. Even though he had his vocal cords removed at the puppy mill, he was able to make small funny noises to show his happiness. When he wagged his stumpy little tail his whole body would just vibrate.

Beagles are hunting dogs. They lock in on their prey and chase it. Not all beagles dig but those that do it is a great pastime. Charley escaped. She let him outside and he went to his “private” area and finished digging the hole and off he went. I am sure if he could bark he would have been singing as he ran through the woods. For the first time in ten years he was free.

His owner though was devastated. She search and search and search for him. She contacted neighbors, the police, and the animal shelter and after two days she was losing hope. How can a voiceless, toothless, almost deaf dog survive in the woods? It was the third day that she received a call from her neighbor, he had found Charley.

Charley was thrilled to see his owner, he made his funny noise, his whole body was vibrating, and he was giving away his kisses for free.

Charley was a changed puppy after that. He had a new spring to his step, he never attempted another escape, and he spent his remaining two years with the person that adored him. After he passed she received the usual condolences. When someone said “you gave him the best two years of his life,” she replied, “the best time of his life was those 2 ½ days when he was free to roam, chase rabbits, and was allowed to be a dog.”

Another puppy mill in the state of Washington, 1500 dogs predicted. Here is the link.